Wire-covering machine



July 17, 1923.

W. E. COOK WIRE COVERING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1919 WM 5% f 12 f 10 Ii 20 25 20 H p 25 I. 22 21 l l Z9 0 q A INVENTOH A TTO/M/EV.

Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STAT-E NT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. COOK, OF-ST. GEORGE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNLIEN'I'S, TO THE PEERLESS INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

. WIRE-COVERING REACHINE.

Application filed April 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. CooK, a sub'ect of the King of the United Kingdom of reat Britain and Ireland, residing at St. George, in the borough of Richmond, city of New York, count of Richmond, and State of New York, liave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Coverin Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to wire covering machines, and more particularly to a type thereof adapted to apply a covering of cotton sliver, or other similar material, to a conductor wire, and to apply binding threads for holding said material in place upon the wire.

Inmachines of the character to which my invention relates, it has heretofore been the common practice to apply the sliver, or other material, to the. wire by'means of a rotating platform having mounted thereon one or more containers for coils of the sliver, the conductor wire being fed axially of this platform so that the sliver, or other material, will be spirally wound upon the wire. Before reaching the point at which the sliver is wound upon the wire, an adhesive is applied .to the wire so that the first ply of sliver, when a plurality of plies are used, will be bonded to the wire with sufficient firmness to avoid the displacement of this ply, other plies when used being matted to the base p1 with the same effect. After the sliver is t us applied to the. wire, it is comtpacted by mean's of suitable dies, and con ning strands are wound spirally about the compacted sliver, thus permitting the subsequent handlingof the wire for either weaving an outside braiding thereupon, or for passing the wire through a bath of an asphaltum, or. other insulating weatherproofing, composition, withoutlikelihood of varying the diameter in different portions of the wire, of the unwinding of the sliver, or of an uneven application of the asphaltum, or other composition, thereto.

With machines of the type above referred to, it has heretofore been necessary to limit the speed of the machine, because of the like lihood of the sliver breaking if a certain speed is exceeded. There were' also difiicul- 1919. Serial No. 286,735.

' ties in applying the adhesive properly to the wire, and of applyin the confining strands to the covered wire, if it were attempted to increase the speed of the machine.

In a machine made in accordance with my invention, I am enabled to feed the sliver, or other material from the containers therefor, at a speed suiiiciently great to permit the machine to be operated at any des1red s eed, without likelihood of breakage of the s iver, or other material even though this material is not provided with any reinforcing means to resist the strains thereon, successful results having been secured at a speed several fold higher than that at which it has heretofore been possible to operate such machines. With this increased speed, however, it was found that there was difliculty in applying the confining strands to the cov-. ered wire, so that in order to properly apply these strands, I found it necessary to so construct the machine that strands were applied to the coverin while the latter was within a compacting die. While the application of the adhesive to the bare wire is also a factor in such machines, this particular mechanism in the machine forms no part of my present invention, except considered in its broader aspects.

A machine made in accordance'with my invention, possesses the further characteristic that the containers for the sliver, or other material, are so constructed as to permit the operator to observe the quantity of the sliver therein at all times. Such containers preferably are permanently united with the rotating platform, being so constructed that they may be rapidly recharged when the. supply. of sliver therein is ap-. preaching exhaustion.

In a machine made in accordance with my invention, the likelihood of the entangling of the sliver, while within the container, is practically eliminated, thus avoiding that condition which has heretofore resulted in the frequent breakage of the strip of sliver, or other material, which breakage has limited the speed of the machine.

The invention also contemplatesv the use of guides for the sliver, adjacent the wire to be covered, which will ensure uniformity in the laying of the sliver upon the wire, or on other plies already applied thereto, ich guide will. also ensure uniformity in thejposition of the silver irrespective of the position of thecontainer from which it is drawn.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and described, and more. particularl claims hereto appen ed.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a machine embodying my 1nvention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, upon an enlarged scale, of a portion of the secondary compacting die; and p y Fig. 3 is a detail view of the charging end of the container for the sliver, or other material. I

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. y

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings,-..the frame of the machine is shown at 1, said frame having parallel cross frames 2 and 3, one adjacent the bottom of the machine, and the other adjacent the top thereof. Rotatably mounted between the cross frames 2 and 3, 1s a frame 4 adapted to support one, or a plurality of containers 5 for the cotton sliver, or other absorbent material, with which the wire is to be covered, and which forms the base of the insulation for said wire.

The frame proper 4 is provided with a hollow arbor 6, mounted in a suitable bearing in the cross frame 2. Su ported from the frame 4 by means of suita le' standards 7, is a top frame 8 carrying a hollow arbor 9, mounted in a suitable bearing in the upper cross frame 3. This construction not only affords suitable opposed bearings for the rotatin sup ort structure, but also imparts the esired rotative movement to the dies which serve to smooth the sliver, or other material, after it has been applied to the wire, and compact it to the desired extent.

The arbor 9 projects above the cross frame 3 and has mounted thereon a com ressing die 10, which is rotatable therew'it The opening through this die is of gradually de creasing diameter from the bottom to adjacent the top thereof, a short length of 'said opening being of uniform diameter to .maintain the compaction of the sliver, or

other material, for a sufficient interval to cause a temporary set' of the fibers of said material, suflicient to facilitate the application of a binding cord or cords thereon while the covered wire is in the die.

When operating a machine at high speed, it is desirable to subject the sliver, or other material, wound upon thewire, to a preliminary com ressionbefore passing it through the ie 10, .thus compacting the said material under conditions which -will pointed out in the .whlch d1e also has a avoid likelihood of attenuation thereof after application to the wire, .and securing a firmer set of the fibers than is possible with the use of a single die. In the form of the invention shown, I secure this preliminary compression by means of a. diell, carried by, and rotatable with, the top frame 8, graduated opening therethrou h. The dies 10 and 11 rotate with the Iatform 4, and at the same speed. Carrie b the shaft 12, mounted at the top of the ame 1, and beyond the die 10, is a wire feedin sheave 13, a portion of the surface of w iich is directly above the axes of the arbors 6 and 9, and the dies 10 and 11. The wire 14 is fed through the machine by means of said sheave, being drawn fromany desired source of supply, and being heldin alinement with the arbors 6 and 9 and the dies 10 and 11 by means of a suitable guide, sitioned adjacent the bottom of the machine. The cotton sliver, or other covering ma;- terial, for the wire, is indicated at 16, said material being spirally wound about the wire adjacent the inlet ofthe; die used for compacting said material upon the conductor wire, the spiral trend of the strip. of sliver. or other material,resulting from thetravel ofthewire14.'

To secure the desiredpermanent relation between the covering material and. the wire,

a suitable adhesive is applied to thewire. prior to the application of said material thereto, by means of the mechanism shown at 17, the detailed construction of which is.

immaterial to this invention.

After the-sliver 16 is applied to the-wire 14, and while it is being compressed or compacted by the die 10, binding cords or strands are applied thereto, said cords or strands being spirally woundupon the sliver in the same direction and at the same pitch as the sliver is wound uponthe Wire. When operating a. covering machine at hlgh speed, it is essential that these cords or strands be applied while the sliver is held undercompactlon by the die 10, since with a as the pulley 15, po-

high rate of travel of the coveredwire, if

the cords or strands are applied vbeyond the die 10, there is always a tendency of the sliver to expand before the cords or strands have been properly applied thereto or imbedded therein. To permit the cords or strands to be so applied, I provide said die 10 with openings 18 about the uper portion thereof, through which the cor or strands may pass. The openings 18 are formed by piercing the die adjacent, but below, the outlet. thereof, thus afiording a continuous wall about each of the openings as a result of the lineal traverse of the sliver covered wire, theseppenings being inv the nature of closed eyes. In this manner the-die itself,

which is constantly rotated, will ensure the iao proper application of said cords or strands to the sliver.

The mechanism for applying the binding cords or strands to the sliver, or other material, in the form of the invention shown comprises a table 19 mounted upon, an rotated with, the arbor 9 above the cross frame 3. Carried by said table is any desired number of spindles 20 adapted to receive spools of the binding cords or strands 21. Supported from the' table 19 is a flanged plate 22, the flange of which is flared outwardly and terminates adjacent the openings 18 through the die 10, said flaredportion having eyes therethrough so as to give the proper direction to these cords or strands, prior to their passing through said openings 18 respectively. Between the plate 22 and each spindle is an ordinary thread tensioning device 23 by means of which the thread is so tensioned as to ensure its being imbedded in thefibers of sliver, or other material. Any desired tensioning device may be employed, that shown in the drawings being merely conventional.

The containers 5 are grouped about the axis of rotation of the frame 4 and permanently mounted in relation to the top frame 8 by means of the'straps 24 encircling 30 each of said containers and secured to said top frame. The containers 5 extend with their axes at right angles to the axis of rotation of said frame, the inner end thereof being open. To permit the operator to determine at all times the quantity of sliver in these containers, I make them of translucent or transparent material such as celluloid, through which the contents of the container is clearly visible.

Below and about the die 11 are a plurality of guides 25'each having an opening therein arranged substantially opposlte the axis of its associated container 5, the sliver 16, as it is withdrawn from the container, passing through the opening in its guide so that, irrespective of the portion of .the container from which the sliver is withdrawn, it will always be accurately positioned with rela- The outer end of each of tion to said die. the containers 5 is closed by means of a removable cover 26 which may be connected to the container b means of a hinge 27 and secured in the c osed position by means of a latch mechanism 28, which must beso constructed as'to hold said cover against displacement by centrifugal foroe developed through the rotation of the containers. By this construction, with the exhaustion of the su ply of sliver in av container, it may be re lled'through the outer end thereof.

After leaving the sheave 13, the covered and bound wire is delivered to a suitable reel 29, mounted upon a shaft 30, a suitable traverse device 31 controlling the movement of the guide pulley 32, being employed to ensure a proper winding ofsaid wire upon said reel. The construction of said traverse device, is old and well known in this art, and a detailed description thereof is therefore unnecessary.

Power for actuating the machine is derived through the main power shaft 33 connected by a gear train 34 with the arbor 6, said shaft being driven through a suitable clutch mechanism 37 and the driving pulle 38. The shaft 12 is driven from the sha t 33 through a suitable transmission mechanism 39. The rewind shaft and the traverse device 31 are driven from the shaft 12 by a suitable belt and pulley connection 40 between said shaft and the gear train 41 and the sprocket and chain connection 42 between said gear train and the traverse mechanism.

The clutch mechanism39 may be manually actuated by means ofthe lever 43 or may be automatically actuated by means of the weight 44 connected by the cable 45 to said lever 43, the movement of which weight is controlled by the electro-magnet 46 operatively connected with the oppositely dis posed contact arms 47 and 48 mounted. upon the tie rod 49, and arranged in the circuit with the said magnet, between which arms the covered and bound wire passes. This automatic stop mechanism forms no part of the present invention, and is therefore not described in detail.

The operation of the herein described de- 'vice is substantially as follows 2- In starting a run of the machine, the end of a section of wire 14 is passed about the guide roller 15 through the mechanism 17 for applying adhesive thereto, and upwardly through the arbor 6, the die'll, the arbor 9 and the die 10, to the sheave 13, in the usual manner. each of the containers 5 is then applied to said wire 14 and power is applied to the machine through the pulley 35 and the shaft 33, the clutch mechanism 34 being set and the brake 50 being released to permit the free and rapid rotation of the frame 4.

As power is applied to the shaft 33, the

shaft 12will be rotated through the speed reducing mechanism heretofore described,

so as to cause lineal traverse of the wire, simultaneously with the rotation of the frame 4 carrying the containers 5, the travel of the wire, and the winding action of the sliver resulting from the rotation of the frame 4, being in the desired ratio to en- .sure the .proper covering .of the wire with the sliver, or other absorbent material, the spiral trend of said sliver, or other material, resulting from the simultaneous lineal traverse of the wire, and rotation of the frame 4.

While the containers 5 are being rapidly rotated, centrifugal force will'tend to move the sliver contained therein toward the hot-- An end of the sliver from tom of each container, the movement being axially of the conta-inerwith the several coils or sliver therein. This action in-' stead of having a tendency to deform the coils of sliver, will merely have the effect of packing them in the container, which will tainer, so that when the supply of sliver inany container approaches exhaustion, the machine may be stopped, and the outer end of the containers brought successively to an accessible point where the cover 26 may be removed and the end of the sliver united with the end of a fresh coil or coils in a barrel, the contents. of which barrel may then be thrust through the open bottom of the container 5. By this construction there is no likelihood of an imperfect covering of the wire due to the unobserved exhaustion of the sliver in any container. Furthermore, the sliver may be transferred to the container from the containers in which it is coiled at the carding machine, thus avoiding unnecessary handling of the sliver, which always has a possibility of disturbing a proper relation of the coils. The guides 25 permit the sliver to be drawn from the different coils in the container successively without disturbing the relsation of the sliver to the wire being covere As the wire 14, covered with one or more plies of spirally wound sliver, or other material, passes through the die 11, which die has rotative movement about the wire in the direction of the application of the sliver, or other material, to the wire, said sliver will receive an initial, or preliminary compaction upon the wire, thus tending to at least partially mat the fibers thereof prior to the passage of the, covered wire through the die 10.

As the covered wire passes through the die 10, the covering material will receive a.

second compaction from the conical portion of the opening through this die, the straight portion of said opening affording a slight dwell to facilitate the setting of the fibers during the application of the binding strands or cords thereon.

While the sliver is compacted within the die 10, the variouscords or strands 21 pass! ing through the openings 18 are applied to the compacted sliver before it leaves the die, and hence before it has had an opportunity to expand. As a result of this condition,

- the diameter of the wirekwill be substantially uniform throughout, .as determined by the opening in the die-10, any subsetquent When a sufficient length of the covered and bound Wire has passed through the machine, the end thereof is secured to the reel 29, and thereafter this wire will be wound upon said reel with the continued operation of the machine.

The operation of the various actuating mechanisms for the different parts of the machine is apparent from the foregoing description.

I have found that by arranging the containers in the manner described, the speed of the machine may bev increased many fold, and that this increase in. speed does not result in the breakage of the sliver, or inter-' fere with the free withdrawal thereof from the various containers. In fact the construction described apparently has no limitations as to the speed of operation, resulting from the feeding ofthe sliver. Such a machine is also convenient to operate by reason of the detailed construction of the containers, which not only permits a close observation as to working conditions about the machine, but also facilitates the charging and recharging of the containers and the handling of the sliver to be used upon the machine.

I believe it to be broadly new to provide a wire covering machine in which the containers for the sliver, or other material, are

arranged with the axes extending horizontally or at right angles to the axis of rotation of the compacting die or dies. The de- 'tails' of construction may be varied indefinitely without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, my present invention relating more particularly to those details pertaining to the containers for the sliver, which results in a great increase in the possible speed of operation of the machine and to the modification of the means for applying the confining cords or strands to the covered wire, made necessary by this increase of speed.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. A wire covering machine embod 'ing therein a rotatable support, movable a out a vertical axis, wire feeding means whereby a wire iscontinuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon axes thereon. extending horizontally, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the wire, means whereby binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

2. A wire covering machine embodying 'by binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

3. A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, wire feedin means whereby a wire is continuously fe axially of said support, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, with the axis or axes thereof extending at right angles to the axis of rotation of said frame, said container or containers being open at both ends, a removable cover for the outer end thereof whereby the sliver, or other material, may be charged into the container through one end thereof, means for compacting the sliver, or other material. upon the wire, means whereby binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

4. A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, wire feeding means whereby a wire is-continuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, with the axis or axes thereof extending at right angles to the axis of rotation of said frame, said container or containers being formed of translucent or transparent material and being open at both ends, a removable cover for the outer end thereof whereby the sliver, or other material, may be charged into the container through-one end thereof, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the wire, means whereby binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

5. A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, movable about a vertical axis, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers for a. coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, the axis or axes thereon extending horizontally, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the wire, guides between the end of said container and said last named means, for maintaining a constant relation of the sliver and the wire being covered adjacent said means, means whereby'binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

6. A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, movable about a vertical axis, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rota-table with said support, the axis or axes thereon extending horizontally, a compacting die, the opening of which is coaxial with the axis of said support, said die being rotatable with said support and having openings therethrough adjacent the outlet thereof, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, guiding means for the cords or strands positioned adjacent said openings in said die, a -tensioning device operative upon each cord or strand, said head rotating with said die, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

7. A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, movable about a vertical axis, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, the axis or axes thereon extending horizontally, a compacting die carried by and rotatable with said support, and arranged adjacent the inner end of said container or containers, guides between said die and each container for maintaining a constant relation of the sliver and the wire being. covered, adjacent said die, a second compacting die beyond said first die in the direction of movement of the wire and rotatable therewith, means whereby binding cords or strands are applied to the compacted sliver adjacent said last named die, and actuating means for said support and said Wire feeding means.

8. A wirev covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, movable about a vertical axis, wire feeding means whereby a'wire .is continuously fed axially of said support, acontainer or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, the axis or axes thereon extending horizontally, a compacting die carried by and rotatable with said support, and arranged adjacent the inner end of said container or containers, guides between said die and each container for maintaining a constant relation of the sliver and the Wire being covered, adjacent said die, a second compacting die beyond 'said'first die in the direction of movement adjacent the outlet thereof, a head rotatable -with .s'aid die and adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, means guiding the cords or strands adjacent said openings through said die, a tensioning device operative upon each cord or strand, andactuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

-9. 'A wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable support, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said support, a container or containers'for a coil of sliver, or other material, mounted upon and rotatable with said support, a compacting die, the opening of which is co-axial with the axis of said support, said die being rotatable with said support and having openings each surrounded by a continuous wall therethrough adjacent the outlet thereof, whereby binding strands may be applied to said sliver, or other material, while it is compacted by said die, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, guiding means for the cords or strands positioned adjacent said openings in said die, a tensioning device operative upon each cord or strand, said head rotating with said die, and actuating means for said support and said wire feeding means.

In witness whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature, this 28th day of March, 1919, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. COOK. Witnesses:

F. T. Wnnrwonrn, A. E. BENTON. 

